Fall turkey hunting
allowed in 63 counties
A fall either-sex wild turkey hunting season is set for 63 counties across the state, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
Counties open are those that have larger populations of wild turkeys and consistently high harvests of bearded birds in the spring.
A list of counties open to this special wild turkey hunt can be found on page 36 of the hunting guide. In most open counties, the season runs December 6-17. Seven counties have a split season of Dec. 6-10 and Dec. 11-17. Refer to the chart for specific seasons.
Bag limits vary from 1 to 6 depending on the county. Hunters may harvest a bag limit in one county and then go to another county and take the bag limit there. If someone is hunting in a county that allows more than one bird, they are not limited to one per day. During this special fall season, hunters may use shotguns (28 gauge or larger with No. 4 shot or smaller) or archery equipment.
These same counties are open for archery hunting for wild turkeys during the archery-only deer seasons. When hunting during the archery-only seasons, a hunter is limited to a total of 1 turkey.
So far this year, during the archery-only seasons, hunters have reported the following wild turkey harvests in Region IV: Anderson (2), Blount (1), Campbell (1), Carter (7), Claiborne (9), Cocke (5), Grainger (5), Greene (16), Hamblen (3), Hawkins (13), Jefferson (4), Johnson (4), Knox (5), Scott (1), Sevier (2), Sullivan (13), Union (1) and Washington (8).
For more information on wild turkey hunting, refer to the 2010 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide or go to www.tnwildlife.org.

Be sure to properly
tag big game animals
With the time of year being here when the majority of big game hunters are taking to the woods, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) reminds hunters of the proper way to tag harvested animals.
It is unlawful to move, transport or field dress any big game animal — except for wild hogs — without validating a properly completed temporary kill tag. Simply punch or mark the month and day of harvest on the kill tag and put it back into your pocket. It is no longer required to attach the temporary kill tag to the animal.
If additional animals are to be harvested on that calendar day, the hunter is not required to stop hunting and tag the animal until he/she is ready to move, transport or field dress the animal. All animals harvested must be accompanied by one animal with a validated temporary kill tag and must be checked in the same day at a big game checking station or the TWRA web site where one new temporary kill tag will be issued.
Evidence of species and sex must be available for inspection by a wildlife officer or agency-designated personnel prior to issuance of permanent game tag.
The permanent harvest tag is a legal document and must be signed by the hunter. By signing the permanent harvest tag, the hunter is affirming that the information, as it appears on the permanent tag, is correct and valid. The permanent game tag must remain with each carcass until final processing.
Persons legally hunting without a license are also required to check their animals in at a checking station or at the TWRA check-in web site. After receiving a temporary harvest tag, hunters must comply with all tagging regulations. All big game taken to a taxidermist to be mounted must be accompanied by documentation showing the permanent game tag number and date of kill.
All bear harvested must be checked in at a TWRA Big Game Checking Station on the same calendar day.
Wild hogs are not required to be tagged or taken to a checking station.
Hunters who purchase the Type 002 junior hunt/fish/trap license — or any big game license Type 009, 010, or 011 — will receive a temporary kill tag with their license. All others will receive a temporary kill tag when they take their first animal to the checking station.
Although they are not required to have a temporary kill tag for the first animal, landowners hunting without a license, youth under the age of 13, seniors with a Type 166, and sportsman license holders may print a temporary kill tag off the TWRA web site if they want a temporary kill tag for their first big game animal.